From the day he had accidentally called out the true name of his Asauchi and released it, Asuka had never again attempted to fully unleash that power.
For one, he had spent the past two years training in Hayama, with no proper opportunity to use it. At most, he had only studied certain special sword techniques performed with the Asauchi, such as the thrusting technique "Fang Thrust."
Secondly, he had been deliberately avoiding that power.
The Asauchi, also known as a Zanpakuto.
Forged by craftsmen of the Soul Society from souls themselves, it could resonate with its wielder's spirit and draw out their true power.
By learning the true name of one's Zanpakuto, a user could release a unique ability of their own. It was a weapon unlike any other.
Within Asuka's memories lingered a vague understanding of the Asauchi. But he knew clearly that a wandering orphan from Rukongai like himself could never possibly possess one of his own.
That meant there was no doubt—this Asauchi had been given to him by that man named Aizen. Like him, it was an exiled experiment.
At the thought, resistance rose within him toward the Zanpakuto. Unless it was a critical moment, he rarely touched it beyond its sealed Asauchi form.
But this time, he had no choice.
The demon before him was strong—so strong that his Wind Breathing could not overcome it.
While Rokuro continued to prattle on, Asuka's consciousness slowly sank inward, descending into his inner world, searching in confusion and unease for his true self buried deep within his soul...
His awareness plunged as though falling into a bottomless abyss. When he opened his eyes again, his heart sank.
This place was not empty.
Beneath his feet stretched cracked, hardened, desolate streets. The air was choked with suffocating, lead-gray smog.
Soul Society · District 78 · Inutsuri.
The endless cold and hunger seemed to pierce through the barriers of reality, forming filthy and ruined streets within Asuka's spiritual world, leaving him to wander through them once more.
A low growl filled with menace sounded.
Several steps away stood a scrawny boy in tattered clothes.
Beneath wild hair like dry straw, a pair of eyes burned with the vicious hunger of a starving wolf cub, locked onto him without wavering.
Beside the boy crouched an equally emaciated raccoon-wolf.
Its fur was dull, ribs sharply visible beneath thin skin. Only its beastly eyes gleamed with pure, ruthless savagery.
One boy. One beast.
Yet they were so alike.
[Why?]
The raccoon-wolf did not open its mouth, yet Asuka heard the hoarse, chilling growl from its throat clearly within his mind.
[Why fight for people who have nothing to do with us?]
[Why provoke a monster you cannot defeat?]
[Why not run?]
The voice struck against Asuka's soul again and again as the raccoon-wolf drew closer.
[Asuka, have you forgotten? Forgotten the laws of survival we learned through blood, sweat, and pain?]
[Don't forget. We are family!]
The small boy said nothing. He simply fixed Asuka with those ferocious eyes, anger and confusion churning within them.
Asuka watched the raccoon-wolf approach step by step before finally speaking.
"...They saved me. Taught me... acknowledged me. At the very least, I have to avenge them."
[Fool!]
The raccoon-wolf leapt up, hind legs coiling, and in a blurred flash it was already before him.
[Your heart has grown weak, Asuka!]
[Live! Remember? We promised—no matter how pathetic, no matter how hard, we would live!]
[And what are you doing now? Risking your life for others? Have you forgotten how we crawled like maggots through garbage heaps?]
Its razor-sharp claws tore toward his face, carrying malicious intent that could rend a soul apart.
In this place, Asuka's movements were sluggish. The raccoon-wolf slashed his cheek open, sending him tumbling backward. Agonizing pain tore through his soul in an instant.
But the beast was not satisfied. It kept lunging at him.
Every swipe and bite carried the desire to devour his very existence.
Asuka knew—this was the Zanpakuto's furious punishment for his "cowardice" and his "betrayal" of their creed of survival.
Gray-black claws carved phantom wounds into his spiritual body. The pain, however, was painfully real.
[Fight back! Knock me down! Take it by force like before!]
The raccoon-wolf grew anxious, baring its fangs and roaring in fury.
But Asuka still did not strike back.
"I haven't forgotten. And I haven't changed."
"The pain, the hunger, the icy brush of death against my soul—I will never forget them. They make me grateful for everything I have now."
"This isn't weakness. I've simply found a reason to swing my sword besides merely clinging to life."
"Help me. Help me defeat this monster."
They were one and the same. Fighting each other held no meaning. He had to make his Zanpakuto acknowledge his will.
Only then could their hearts truly connect.
Just as the raccoon-wolf's fangs were about to pierce his throat, the boy in the distance finally spoke.
"Enough! Nugata!"
He reached out casually. That small body seemed to transcend space itself, seizing the raccoon-wolf by the back of its neck.
The ferocious beast instantly quieted under the boy's grip, letting out pitiful whimpers as it was dragged to his side.
The boy lifted his head, meeting Asuka's gaze from afar. His voice echoed directly within Asuka's mind.
"Your resolve... I've received it."
"Asuka, since you've decided to fight for others, then as family, we will fight alongside you."
"And... that thing before us cannot be spared!"
His voice rose, tinged with a mad cruelty.
"That thing killed people and stole from them. Then we'll kill it. We'll devour everything it took from others, with interest!"
"Let it taste what it means to be stripped bare and annihilated! Demon or Shinigami—it makes no difference. None of them can be spared!"
The raccoon-wolf beside him sensed that violent killing intent, threw back its head, and howled greedily.
[Awoooo——!!]
The boy's voice grew louder and louder, reverberating like a great bell within Asuka's mind, crashing against his spiritual world.
The entire Inutsuri District of his soul began to tremble as if it would collapse at any moment.
[Live at all costs, Asuka!]
[Face forward! Do not be weak!]
[Plunder! Bite!](T/N: this shit is good…)
[Call my name——!!]
Reality. Osaki Hachiman Shrine.
Rokuro had just finished expounding on his proposal, yet received no reply from Asuka.
Instead, after sheathing his Nichirin Blade, Asuka's aura grew increasingly dangerous.
Rokuro had already decided to flee.
Asuka's five fingers curled like claws, digging into the battered Asauchi. The gray-black aura around him intensified until it solidified. Even Rokuro stared in disbelief at the surging spiritual pressure around his body.
"—Chew and swallow!"
"Nugata!!"
Buzz——!
Gray-black spiritual pressure erupted like volcanic magma suppressed for ten thousand years!
A violent shockwave exploded outward from Asuka in all directions!
Blood-soaked stone bricks beneath his feet shattered and lifted into the air, reduced to powder!
The shrine's broken pillars cracked apart, wood splinters raining down like a storm!
Under Rokuro's stunned gaze, the battered Asauchi began to mutate. Rust vanished. The blade swelled and transformed!
In the blink of an eye, it became a savage gray-black serrated greatsword over five feet long!
The blade curved slightly, bearing a brutal arc as if ready to tear and crush everything in its path. Under the moonlight, the jagged teeth gleamed like the gaping maw of some ancient beast!
"What is that thing?! What are you?!"
All composure vanished from Rokuro's face. The aura from that blade was far too dangerous. If it struck him... he would die.
Asuka answered with action.
Rokuro saw only a gray-black afterimage flash in place. A chill ran along his sleeve—
Slash——!!
An arm flew high into the air!